The following story contains major spoilers from Sunday’s Dexter season finale, so steer clear if you have yet to watch the episode. Everyone else, read on…

Though the reviews of this season’s Dexter have been mixed, there’s one thing nobody’s debating: the impact of the one-two punch the Showtime hit delivered in Sunday’s finale.

Not only did Deb admit that she was into her adoptive brother, but she also got a good look at his “dark passenger.”

Will the series really “go there” with the semi-siblings? Can they, now that she knows his secret? To find out, TVLine rang up exec producer Scott Buck…

TVLINE | Was Deb developing romantic feelings for Dexter always part of the show’s grand plan?
It was something we realized very early on. It was not necessarily a plan, but it was something we all felt was in the DNA of that character. It just sort of made sense when we started to examine why she was the way she was. It wasn’t necessarily something we were always working towards, but when we examined it it seemed — at least on some sort of subconscious level — like that’s the direction it had always been going.

TVLINE | Was there a debate in the writers room about whether to go there? You must’ve known it would be controversial.
It came up several years ago. We thought about it, then dismissed it, but it would always come up again year after year after year. So it just felt like there was this big story there that we were denying.

TVLINE | And why now?
It just seemed so inevitable. There was no particular reason why this year, except that it felt like we had been ignoring it.

TVLINE | The fact that Deb knows Dexter’s secret — well, part of his secret. She only saw him kill one person. And one murder does not a serial killer make.
Correct. [But] Deb has absolutely without a doubt seen Dexter commit a ritual kill. We’re not teasing the audience or jerking the audience around.

TVLINE | Deb came close to discovering Dex’s “dark passenger” in the Season 5 finale. Why not pull the trigger on it then as opposed to postponing it for another season?
I wasn’t running the show at the time so I didn’t have the opportunity to pull the trigger. But again, it was because of things like that that it felt like we had teased the audience to a point that was not quite right anymore. It felt like time to be more honest with the situation.

TVLINE | The episode hinted at the possible departure of Desmond Harrington’s Quinn. Will he be back?
Yes, absolutely.

TVLINE | Do you pay attention to what critics are saying and writing?
I’ve seen some but not all.

TVLINE | So it probably doesn’t come as a shock that it was a polarizing season. I wanted to throw out some of the bigger criticisms. First off, many felt Travis (Colin Hanks) wasn’t a scary enough villain. He seemed almost cartoonish at times. How do you respond to that?
We never meant for him to be cartoonish. We meant for him to be complicated in a way so that you might have mixed feelings for him. You would generally feel sympathy or empathy for this man before fully realizing who he was. And once you do realize who he was, does that really make the issue that much different? Is he really that much more in control then if Professor Gellar had been real.

TVLINE | Do you feel like your villains are doomed to disappoint after Trinity (John Lithgow)?
I don’t feel that way. Obviously, John was fantastic and set a very high standard for us. But there are all kinds of villains out there. They don’t need to all be scary in the same way.

TVLINE | There were a fair number of viewers that saw the Gellar twist coming. Was that ever a concern?
I really wasn’t that concerned, because if people guessed the twist, it really wasn’t the major arc of the season. Dexter has always been a show much more about character. It was always more interesting to see how this revelation affects Dexter, rather then, “Oh, I guessed it.” It didn’t seem that important an idea that it had to be so completely hidden from the audience.

TVLINE | Finally, the reaction to a possible Deb-Dexter romance seems more negative than positive. There’s a genuine ick factor there. Will that impact how far you take the storyline in the final two seasons?
No. I’m not aware that there’s an ick factor, but that’s certainly not going to affect where we go with that story.

TVLINE | Safe to say Season 7 will pick up right where Season 6 left off?
I think we’ll most likely be picking up exactly where we left off, or somewhere close to there.

Argh! I feel so frustrated and annoyed. I had so much hopes for Dexter Season 6 and what I got is this: A TERRIBLE season. It started with so much potential and then some episodes were kind of sluggish, but, hopeful fan that I am, I kept thinking it’d get better. Didn’t happen and this season finale just left me gagging!
I am glad someone liked this season so much. At least, someone enjoyed it. Not me!

to dexterina no more: you were obviously high this entire season. as a first time watcher i was on pins and needles for that kick-ass season finale. Yeah there were some episodes but it definitely made up for it by going out with a bang. damn its gonna be an excruciatingly long wait for season 7!

I couldn’t agree more…. I can’t wait for season 7 to come out…. Left me on the edge……
People think if Dexter and Deb got together they think it’s nasty…. There not real brother and sister …. I think they are made for each other…. Lol

Anyone who thinks this season was decent, good, great, kick-ass or any other of those has serious mental problems. Scott Buck sound so full of himself. But then again you’ve got to say something to defend the HORRIBLE writing and the MORONIC casting of the talent-less Colin Hanks.

I just don’t get it. Just b/c ppl enjoyed this season and thought it was great and “kick-ass” You think they have “serious mental problems”, seriously? My human friends, this is entertainment! I understand that you are disappointed with Dexter. Ppl just need to breathe and not take it so “serious”, calling Scott a “Moron” and that he should be “fired” (I’m not quoting you spec.), and ppl idiots and so on… “oh please” if you are so frustrated, go jogging, read a good book, have a drink BUT let ppl have their fun and excitement. Now, I’m going to go watch the finale again! YAY.

No, anyone who thinks this season was decent, good, great, kick-ass or any other of those has a different set of tastes than you, and you don’t need to be a jack-@$$ about it. Personally this was my second favorite season of the series and I think Colin Hanks did a good job with the role. The fact that you feel the need to slam people because you didn’t like it shows how much of a moron you are. Good day sir!

Agreed, this season was awful, bad writing, huge plot holes in EVERY episode. Colin Hanks was laughable as a bad guy, DDK story just dreadful. And as for Deb loving Dexter and the season finale big reveal? Just lame. This show has turned into a joke.

And by the way, huge fan of Dexter up to and including Season 4. Season 5 was a bit lame but Season 6 managed to be much much worse….

I was really disappointed. It seems like the writers are falling asleep.

Let’s first give credit where due. Michael Hall and Jennifer Carpenter are still acting at the top of their game. To have gone through what they went through this year and to put it all on screen, my hat is off to them. Ditto to C.S. Lee playing Masuka, Lauren Velez playing LaGuerta, and David Zayas playing Batista. They’re just great.

Now for the problems. First, I never before realized what a poor actor Olmos is. His “I wish I were Anthony Hopkins” understated thing just didn’t work. Not menacing at all. Even if he were just a ghost, in hindsight, he is really such an empty cloth?

And Colin Hanks was worse. It was just a cartoon. If you’re going into dad’s business, and dad has done the kind of job that Tom Hanks has done, it’s just hard to watch. He should open up a car wash or deli or something.

And to top that off, it seemed like the writers were just doing Psycho — the psychotic kid “possessed” by the mother/teacher and blaming the crimes on his “other self” — and yet they added nothing to this. (Though the art and tableaus were a nice touch.) Are we just going to be disappointed after Lithgow as Trinity? Looks like it, yes.

And then there were just the large gaps in writing — in addition to stealing Psycho:

– Dexter made it away from an exploding boat in about five seconds, had about four minutes to contemplate drowning at sea, and then was back just needing a trip to the dry cleaners. Yeah, right.

– Dexter suffered from poison gas, but only for about ten seconds. And exactly the ten seconds they needed him to. Yeah, right.

– Why did Deb go to the church at the end? She was looking for Dexter, but she is assuming he spends ten hours at a crime scene, all alone, after it has already been processed?

– Why bother with serial-killer obsessed intern boy? It just seemed so random and didn’t seem to add anything to the series.

So you didn’t like the performance Olmos and Hanks gave, that doesn’t make them horrible actors. There’s plenty of other things they’ve done that proves how good of actors they are. No need to insult them like an idiot.
You’re planning on being disappointed after Trinity, and that’s okay because pretty much everyone says season 4 was the best season of the series, but don’t drag the rest of the viewers into your delusion that nothing they do after it can be good. Also just because they pulled off the psychotic guy possessed by the teacher doesn’t mean they were trying to copy Psycho, that wasn’t the only movie to do it, and this won’t be the last time its done. Who’s to say that was even an inspiration of theirs? You weren’t in the writing room were you?
If you dive far enough under water the fire and explosion won’t touch you. He obviously had been floating at sea for a while, the explosion took place at night, and it was much brighter when we returned to him. There are such things as lapses of time in TV shows, that’s how they’re able to show events from several days in an hour of television.
Actually, we saw several occasions prior to that where he was suffering nosebleeds and other symptoms. Try watching the episode before you criticize it.
I don’t think I need to go over this point since someone else did, but once again I’ll say that sometimes you should pay attention.
Why bother? Maybe if you had reasoning abilities you would have realized that they’re starting a thread that will pay off in the next season and possibly beyond. Apparently you’re incapable of reason though.

Also it’s clear that they are setting up Louis (the intern characters name who you obviously don’t even know, as Jason said, try actually watching the show) to be a much larger character. The ice truck killer hand being sent to Dexter was no accident and the writers have stated he will be a fun character to play with and will play a much larger role as the series progresses. Personally, I think he has the inbtelligence and potential creepiness to end up as Dexter’s ultimate nemesis in season 8 after having an entire 7th season to flesh out his character.

I am completely with you Jason. I know TV is usually watched with a flatline, mentally that is. But that’s not something that can be done with Dexter. There is constant thinking on what’s going on. My co-worker and I watch it and she was not paying attention to the intern at all until I pointed it out.
All I can say is that I’m sure the writers have not thrown the intern into the show for nothing. That’s probably one of the things that interest me the most from this season, it just seemed so random that there must be a reason for it. First they bring one intern to steal and sell the hand, and then they bring a second intern that we later find out was the one that bought the hand. He’s certainly obsessed about serial killers. Have you noticed how much they focus on Dexter everytime they show him on the screen?

Ever since they showed a glimpse of the “hand” in Louis’ apartment when Jaime visited him, I figured he must have been the auction winner. Simple enough, but his obsession with Dexter was a tad creepy. I kept waiting for something to happen with the hand in recent weeks.

My question is: how did Travis end up with the boxed arm addressed to Dexter? At first I thought that he brought it with him and might be tied to Louis some how. Was it left on Dexter’s doorstep and Travis just carried it in when he used Dexter’s keys to snoop? I didn’t quite catch how Travis ended up carrying the box.

We may not all have loved where this season went, how characters were played out, how actors played the characters, but really, it’s the directors that “direct” the “actors”. Laying blame for a perceived less than satisfactory season is hardly the fault of the actors.

I can’t wait to see next season and how they pick up from that last incredible scene.

I have been a Dexter fan since the beginning, and I did not enjoy Seasons 5 or 6. I do think that this season was a bit on the slow side, and it was certainly unlike any of the other seasons thus far. We didn’t see a whole lot of Dexter doing what he does best, that’s for sure. I just watched the season finale last night, and I do think the end was very well done (but the rest of it was a little hard to get through). However, I have to agree with everyone that said the Dexter/Deb storyline is unsettling. I won’t compare it with any other shows becuase let’s face it, Dexter really isn’t like any other show out there.
I hope that the writers won’t take the storyline that far between them because personally I don’t care if they aren’t blood-related-it’s just not right and it is disturbing. Now, for those people who say that fans are “okay with Dexter being a serial killer but not okay with him ‘being with’ his sister”, I don’t see the correlation. I don’t think fans of the show are “okay” with Dexter being a serial killer-I think they simply enjoy the show and the storylines.
That being said, I am looking forward to Season 7 and I think that it will be an extremely long wait until then!

If they’re going to keep with this line “Deb has a crash on Dexter” they will ruin everything they worked for. It is disgusting. They are siblings for christ sake!!! WTF?! and it does not make any difference if they are not connected biologically. it is still repolsive.

I have believed for a while that Harry is Dexter’s biological father and that’s why Harry took Dexter and not Brian home to raise. In some of the tapes between Harry and Dexter’s mom there seemed to be hints that there was a relationship between them. I think ultimately that is going to come out in the next season. Also Deb is so unstable I think she only thinks she loves Dex.
One thing is obvious Dexter will have a hard time trying to convince Deb that it is the first time he’s killed someone.
I can’t wait to see what happens. I really enjoy the writing.

Deb is a Detective. It shouldn’t be hard for her to put one and one together and get two. She has seen how the bay harbour butcher killed his victims in the past/knew he did it with the wrap. So YES she should figure out that her brother is the serial killer…also knowing his brother was also A serial killer helps the possibility along.

Well, even if she didn’t know how the BHB set up, there was the throw-away plastic in the ocean bags… Plus if she’s smart enough to connect how Brian set her up to kill her (even if she doesn’t know it’s for Dexter) to Travis’ killing, along with the fact that Dexter and Brian are brothers and could be similar… it could come together for her. It seems to need little hints from previous seasons pulled together in order for her to actually figure it out unless Dexter confesses.

I think what he meant was that outside opinions won’t change the direction they intend for these characters to go. Icky or not, I’m glad to hear that. I hate when writers obviously change a storyline because it’s unpopular. You have to let the story write itself…even if it’s kinda gross…

Besides, it’s kind of hypocirtical that people feel icky about the (adopted) brother/sister romance, while being totally okay with the main character – and audience favorite – having butchered hundreds of people for six seasons now.

Seriously, it’s not like you show this series to your kids and go, “There. Those are some great role models!”

I disagree. I hated the Lumen relationship. I hated her as a character and as an actress. The whole thing was frustrating and gross. I feel as though Rita was the only female Dexter has been with so far that helped the character development and believability of the show itself. The Lumen relationship was unrealistic and the Dexter Deb thing – if it goes anywhere – will also be just as unrealistic… not to mention gross.

I don’t think Dexter has the same feelings for her at all, so it won’t go too far. But Dexter itself is a show all about pressing the norm and being controversial, so I say props to the writers for staying true to the characters they’ve created and being fearless!

Sorry I disagree. Incest (or all things resembling incest) is one topic that has absulutely NO entertaining value…I don’t think it has ANY place in writing, film, or conversation. (maybe just in the history books).

Agreed. The idea of killing a bad person, which most of the people Dexter kill are, is much less disturbing to watch than a brother and sister (adopted or not) having a sexual relationship. Them kissing is like me kissing one of my step brothers which makes me want to upchuck way more than any murder scene!

Nicky, you’re missing the point entirely. I don’t think most people are watching the “Deb’s in love with Dex now” storyline and objecting to it because it’s wrong and serial killing is right. They’re objecting to it because it’s gross, uncomfortable and NOT the way two people raised as siblings would actually act.

Seriously, does Deb expect Angel, Masuka and Quinn to not start vomiting the first time they see her smooching her bro?

I really doubt there is gonna be a Deb/Dex love storyline next season. Have to agree that the idea of Deb and Dexter is not just uncomfortable but just sits wrong with me on so many levels.

That said, I can’t possibly see the writers going into any sort of romantic relationship between deb/dex. First the obvious, I would say the last minute of the finale completely changes the dynamic Deb might be feeling. You see someone you love killing another person in a ritualistic way there is NO way whatever you might be thinking that relationship is won’t change in an instant. Next you have no idea how Dexter would have responded anyway as there is no indication he feels the relationship is more than brother/sister.

No, I think they are setting it up very much to destroy the relationship they do have. By building it up to where Deb thought she might even be in love with him makes the relationship have just that much higher to crumble from.

Honestly, despite the ick factor I think this was the most interesting thing the whole season in combination with her finding the truth about Dexter. The rest of the season was just Dexter juggling Harrison, work, and serial killing. Brother Sam was the only other interesting sidestory.

picky, I agree, and I think if the writers can’t see how gross and inappropriate this is, then they are seriously out of touch. In hindsight, people are going to look back at this development as the place the show went off the rails.

That’s ignorant of you to say. There’s a difference between the show going there and having them smooch and have a love relationship and Deb having realizing a subconscious crush for her brother. You think Dexter will reciprocate her feelings? Hahaha naive.

There’s nothing hypocritical about it, imo. I’m fine with the serial killing since within the show’s universe it’s been explained and dealt with. It’s a core part of Dexter’s personality and the show deals, somewhat logically, with how people would react to the idea.

I hate the incest because no one in the universe responded to it in a logical way. Sisters don’t suddenly decide they want to date their brother (which Dexter is, biology isn’t a factor here) in their 30s as if it’s no different than deciding they want to date a friend. Good therapists don’t tell their patients they’re in love with their brother, much less encourage them to declare that love and hopefully start a relationship. It’s the poor writing that’s icky, not the incest.

Incest is about blood relation though! Calling the idea of Dexter and Deb together incest is like the idiots who equate pornography to rape: they are not the same thing!!!! Stop acting like two people not related by blood is incest, it isn’t.

It’s still correctly called incest when the two people are adopted siblings raised as brother and sister because the point isn’t whether their genes are similar, but that sex is being introduced into a family relationship. Same as when people talk about sexual abuse in families. Psychologically, Dexter and Deb are brother and sister–and it’s really insulting for this article to suddenly refer to them as “quasi-siblings” as if people just pretend adopted children are family but we all know they’re more like temporary exchange students!

Deb and her shrink’s behavior would be just as alien if Harry was Dexter’s father.

i feel like those people who are so much against the Dex/Deb line havent watched the show at all. I dont like it either, but as i understand it (because i am weird and little bit psychopathic) its about exploring the “soul”, its not that she is really in love with him. She is confused, emotionally immature and she doesnt know how to behave around men. Its basic psychology – children look for the partners, who would be similar to their own parents. Harry had full hands with Dex and she felt alone, lost and she had no selfconfidence and she is constantly looking for somebody/something sold, real in her life and for now Dex is/was all she has/had. Is it so much difficult to understand that people evolve (as well as the show)?

To Theresa, first of all there is no incest (at least not yet anyway) because they haven’t had sex (google it). Second (and I think it has been said) just because she realized her feelings for dexter does NOT mean she will act on them and I could care less if they had sex because guess what it’s a television show and if it doesn’t get some sort of reaction from you then it is not worth being on air. How about you just wait till the next season comes out before opening your mouth and sounding like a dumbass. (This message goes out to anyone that is as close minded, impatient or just plain stupid)

Except that he said exactly what he meant: he’s not aware that there is an ick factor. We don’t need you to interpret for us, thanks.

And this story is NOT writing itself: he says the idea came up again and again and until now was always passed over. You have to wonder whether the person in the room who kept bringing it up was him, and now that he’s the boss he finally succeeded in railroading it through.

I don’t think you understand much about the “writing process,” Frank. If this was in the works for a while but the timing wasn’t right, that’s not the same as just making something up on the spot and throwing it in there.

He specifically said it wasn’t in the works though, just that it kept coming up. And please Brigette, everyone and their pet monkey thinks they’re a writer but condescending to Frank about the “writing process”? Bloody weak.

The fact that you feel the need to put quotation marks around the words writing process speaks volumes about your understanding of the writing process, Brigette.
And I never said anything about making something up on the spot; you did. Please don’t put words in my mouth and then accuse me of misunderstanding them

i agree…I think the whole deb/dex thing is pretty awkward but i saw it coming for a long time…you people should rewatch the show, i thought it was pretty obvious that deb had always been a little bit too close and open with her brother…also i remember dex saying that if he could have feelings for anyone, it would be deb…

I completely agree with you Brigette! If that’s where the story needs to go, they need to do it. The writers have been writing the show for all this time, not us. There’s a reason this story line was introduced. If you’re a true fan, you should be able to understand that they know what they’re doing with the show and it’s only going to get more exciting. Just think of all the new dynamics this adds to Deb finding out about Dexter, too. And, coming from a psychological standpoint, I don’t see a reason why she COULDN’T fall for Dexter. There are many things at hand here, and just because it doesn’t “feel right” to some people doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t or couldn’t happen. That’s life, and for people watching a show about a serial killer, whom we all love, to be open-minded in that regard, but not be open-minded when it comes to this story line just aren’t true fans I don’t think… DEXTER as a show is dark and twisted in its own right, so to criticize the writers for taking the show on a new path seems ridiculous to me. Especially since these new “feelings” Deb has aren’t all that “new” really. I’ve been re-watching the past seasons with some friends that just got hooked on DEXTER and even in the past seasons, there were moments, looking back now, that I can see how Deb could’ve been leading up to this point. This is all pretty interesting to me. It is indeed a little weird, yes. I somewhat cringed at the “kiss” scene, but at the same time it’s interesting because what does this mean for Dexter and how Deb sees him now? She’s going to be having a lot of inner struggling to do in this next season and I’m curious as to how she’ll react to it all. Where will her loyalties lie? The season’s end really sets the stage for the series’ final seasons and I can’t wait to see it!

Yeah, this makes me really nervous for the next two seasons. I was thrilled that she finally caught him instead of just ALMOST catching him, but the fact that he doesn’t even acknowledge that the controversy over their possible relationship stems from the ick factor (which is huge) is ridiculous and almost insulting to the viewers. They can’t really expect us to just let it go because they’re not blood related, that’s nuts.

Yeah, but in Game of Thrones they were the bad guys, so the audience could just be all “eeeewwww, those two are freaks.” With Deb and Dexter they’re characters that we actually like.

Also, the thing I find hilarious/ annoying about the whole incest thing is that it totally overshadowed the “when will Deb find out about the serial killing” storyline, which has been a huge question since season 1.

NO That was incredibly “icky”!!! If that show had done any more graphic scenes between them I’d have been pretty much done with it. However, the shows time period does help them get away with it a little more. Those characters are also meant to be villians, and it certainly did suceede in making me like them less.

The thing is that in Game of Thrones we are introduced to these characters and find out right away that they have a incestious relationship. Dexter builds for about 6 seasons that Dex and Deb love each other in a brother/sister way and now all of the sudden she wants Dex….there were no hints this was coming.

Game introduces a couple villians and established their relationship right away. That’s why they can get away with it, where as on Dexter it’s icky and wrong. On Game BTW I think most feel it’s icky and wrong too, but we know that’s part of the characters…..

but when Dexter was saying that if he could have feelings for anyone it would be Debra, he wasn’t necessarily referring to romantic or sexual feelings. He was talking about any sort of strong feels that you feel for people, friends and family as well as lovers. I think he just meant that she’s his sister and he’s known her most of his life and he does care about her (in a brotherly way) but he doesn’t have the really strong feelings one normally has towards a family member.

They aren’t blood related!! Yes, Harry had an affair with Dexter’s mom, but remember in Season 1 when Dexter found out his biological dather had died?? He, Rita, Deb and Rudy went over to clean it out. He then went to the morgue and took a sample of the dead man who was his father and had Masuka test it to see if he really was. Turned out, it was a match.

Then there were flashback through the episode where Dexter lost a lot of blood as a child ans was in the hospital. he had a rare blood type and they contacted his biological father to get him to donate blood. Dexter wrote him a card thanking him for the blood. Dexter found this card when cleaning the house out.

I agree! How could you not realize that there’s an ick factor?!!! Honestly, I could deal with the mediocre season without that! That whole situation just bothers me. I’m still really eager to see what they do now that she knows about Dexter!

I guess by ep.12 i was getting used to the whole deb is a freak and likes her bro scenario,she’s always been a bit of a weirdo, but i just figured Dexter would just make her feel like an idiot and that would be over!
Doesnt look like it!LOL
Must say when i saw this happening i was screaming at the tv in ep 11…
cant say that’s not a win for the writers!
good job, cant wait for season 7!!

Well…there’s certainly an ick factor, but they’re not blood related and how’s that much different than two neighbors who knew each other since they were born and then got together? I find that icky as well, but it happens a lot!

I think most people can tell the difference between their parents/siblings and their next door neighbors. Just as parents of adopted children can tell the difference between their kids and kids they babysit.

To me, beyond the ick, this story line was entirely & ridiculously implausible… Would a reputable psychotherapist really suggest that Deb had sexual feelings for her brother, especially after what seemed like only a few sessions?? And Deb, a rational, fact-driven detective, fully embraces this notion within a matter of days?? Come on. I kept thinking we’d see an additional scene showing the psychotherapist with a collection of Gellar Doomsday books on her desk, or video blogging on his website to show how crazy she actually was! Left me scratching my head/rolling my eyes….

In another interview he did state that they had researched it before going in and it happens. I don’t get the ick factor personally, they’re not blood so it’s not that big of a deal. In a show about serial killers this is the kind of thing people find disgusting? Wow…

I agree Jason… I don’t see the big deal especially given what this show is about. I just find it interesting, but most people seem not to. I think if the writing is done well, maybe more people will turn around and see that it fits with Deb’s character, and maybe even Dexter’s. Seriously people, it’s DEXTER, a show where he kills people and we’re happy about it. lol

I agree that there is an enormous ick-factor. Also, Debra is so whiny, judgemental and (sorry) sexless that it would be unbelievable if Dexter fell for her, especially after the lovely Hanna. It would be like redoing the whole horrible relationship he had with Rita…

yeah REALLY!!!
I don’t see what the big deal is. If they were related, I’d be completely behind you but they’re NOT RELATED. Deb is the only one who has managed to have any sort of long-lasting meaningful relationship with Dexter. I can’t see Dexter with anyone but her.

ROFL, you ppl are so brainwashed from society it isn’t even funny. It’s not incest. They aren’t blood related. The only relation they have is having the same person raise them. The only tie they have together is by law. It’s something made up by the government. It’s like saying it’s grosse for having sexual relations with someone you’ve known your whole life. It just makes your bond stronger really. Even step brothers and sisters yes, that would be weird. But an adopted son……. means nothing.

I don’t even know where to start. You’re clearly insane. Law? WTF does the law have to do with the whole thing? We are talking about what makes a family here, not paperwork. The ties you’re talking about are so much more than what you think. You’re so ignorant that it would make me laugh if it wasn’t plain stupid and downright offensive.

So you mean that two individuals who were raised by the same people (calling them “mom” and/or “dad” whether it’s about blood or not), growing up in the same home, having the same relatives, childhood memories, are nothing to each other because they don’t share DNA? Just… wow.

1) I’m not sure that “we” are the brainwashed ones. Well, at least we do have a brain. It’s a wonderful machine, you should try to use yours, I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it.

2) Blood doesn’t make a family. You can hate your bio siblings’ guts, and you can love an adopted brother (or sister, parent, cousin, whatever) to pieces. It’s insulting towards both adopted children and adoptive parents. Not to mention siblings in the Deb/Dex situation.

3) So, from what I get, you wouldn’t mind being in a relationship with your sister if she’s not blood-related? You would kiss, f*** and maybe have children with someone who called your parents “mom and dad”, just like you did your whole freakin’ life? And you have the nerve to be condescending and patronizing because from your POV people who don’t agree with this storyline are brainwashed by society?

And saying “But an adopted son……. means nothing”? I mean, are you for real ?? I really hope that you’re just a troll (in which case I’m the stupid one and clearly have too much time on my hands to bother replying to you). But if you really believe in what you wrote…

YOU. HAVE. ISSUES. You need to get serious help dude. Also you should consider changing your username from “Hugh Jass” to “Huge Jackass”. Because… well, it’s pretty obvious why, right?

I’m sorry, but I have to agree with Hugh. First off, no, I’m not perverted and think siblings should be together. But, Deb and Dexter are not blood siblings. Second, there’s so much to the psyche that people try to throw under the rug, and due to “social norms” people are finding this offensive. I agree with some people that the ties that Dexter and Deb have aren’t too much unlike best friends from an early age. It only makes them closer. Besides, to be perfectly fair, the show has hinted throughout that Deb was often isolated from Dexter half her childhood, and was always just trying to get him to notice she was there and to care about her. Their DNA is not the same at all, which makes this NOT INCEST. I hate when people keep saying that. And from a psychological standpoint, I feel like this story line does fit in with Deb’s life and past and I don’t see a reason why she couldn’t feel this way. Third, to those judging the psychologist- she was just doing her job, and if you re-watch the sessions, Deb was totally going there herself about Dexter. She just didn’t realize it. He’s all she talked about and hats off to Jennifer Carpenter for pulling those scenes off. I really felt like Deb was just realizing that all these pieces of her life were suddenly making sense. People grow and change and there is no reason why the writers shouldn’t go “down this road” just because some fans (who obviously shut off their open-minds and stopped thinking) are upset by a little “ick” factor. That doesn’t make sense to me. This show has always been deeper than mainstream tv shows, and this story line fits in with that, I have to say. I will admit it seems awkward (such as the dream/kiss scene) but the whole time leading up to that and all the sessions I was hooked, and the minute Deb brought that up to the psychologist, I just felt like, Yes, this makes sense. So much of Deb and Dexter’s relationship from her point of view makes sense now, and I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. Re-watching the seasons, it does fall into place given some scenes they’ve had. It’s really interesting actually, and I’m glad the writers aren’t backing down and compromising the integrity of their writing due to “some” unhappy fans. I’m so excited for the next two seasons!

I loved this season (with the exception of the Deb loving Dex thing). I never saw the Gellar twist coming and Colin Hanks was scary but his creep factor was high enough for me to want to sleep with the lights on sometimes. I cannot wait for next season!
But I do have to add- he wasn’t aware there would be an ick factor?? Are there a lot people out there who are pro Deb/Dexter??

I’m not pro-incest, but I’m pro-going-there-with-the-storyline. The fact that there’s a major ick factor just makes it that much more interesting to see how it all plays out. Yeah it’s wrong, but last time I checked, people do things that are wrong. It makes for an interesting dynamic that’s different that anything I’ve seen on tv before (which is something I look for, having watched as much tv as I have).

I agree that the ick factor would make me respect the writers more if they were able to do in an interesting, compelling, and non-gross way because it IS so risky and controversial. But, to say that there is no ick factor, when every single family with adopted (NOT step, but adopted) children would say that there is, is just being in denial and dishonest with your viewers.

Same with the whole Gellar reveal. Admit that you made a mistake! The Gellar reveal was supposed to be a huge turning point, because it showed Dexter that his dark passenger could not be killed, anymore than Travis’s could.

They are going for a shock factor that the audience who loves the shock of Dexter’s killings doesnt want to see! All thru the show’s history, they have made it seem that Dex and Deb had a real family bond and to now deny it for the sake of a quick wild storyline is ridiculous! Even when the two got married in real life, people found it odd. And they are denying the audience its opinion and voice in how tis season has played out.

I loved Six Feet Under, but for me, the difference is that Brenda and Billy were both totally and completely messed up in every single aspect of their lives, ever since they were children. They always had an inappropriate relationship. And though I didn’t dislike Brenda, I wasn’t necessarily rooting for her. If Deb was a real person, rather than a character in a television show, and her therapist suggested she was in love with her brother, I think she would have told her to F off, and never gone back. Is Deb so daft that merely the suggestion that she is in love with her brother actually makes her fall in love with her brother?

Deb claiming she’s “in love” with Dexter feels so wrong because, other than her obvious daddy issues and feelings of neglect, she seemed fairly normal. Unlike Brenda and Billy who were just so twisted in every way, you just couldn’t wrap your head around them. It makes sense that they’re have some screwed-up incestual relationship, but for Deb (a previously relatable character) to be “in love” with Dexter, who doesn’t really show her much affection (he does care for her, but let’s admit it – he’s in no way “warm and fuzzy”), just seems stange and out-of-place.

I have to second everyone else here in this thread. How can the show runners not know that incest is gross?

I don’t object to the storyline being raised, but to say you don’t know people find it gross is a bit much,IMO.

I did not dislike this season, as many others have said in reviews. I thought they did a lot of building this year. You have new characters, a story arc that will continue into year 7, and possibly a new killer with the intern sending Dex the hand.

All in all, I thought it was good.

I would think with the murder witnessed by Dex, her feelings may change.

It’s not incest!! Seriously, I’m getting sick of people saying that!! Maybe I should just stop reading this board because this is ridiculous. Incest is sex with a biological family member, if they are not related it is not technically considered incest by the definition of the term.

I don’t care what anyone says, the Dexter/Debra love-storyline is disgusting and it’s safe to say the show has jumped the shark. If the show continues with it, I expect a HUGE rating decline. Regardless of the fact that Dexter and Debra are adopted siblings, they were RAISED as Brother and Sister for more then 37 years. So as far as I’m concerned, I believe that dwelling in such a manner for a show like this is just atrocious and offensive to Michael. C Hall, Jennifer Carpenter and the fans. As far as discovering the truth about Dexter, I believe that it was just downright idiotic, as they’re simply stating that the relationship they already had was not stable enough, so she had to be in love with him to accept it (if she does except it) – NOT because it is her brother.

There is more then one idiotic thing about the episode. How dumb has Dexter gotten? A major serial killer has gotten loose and is on the run. He has him and makes a kill room MOMENTS after the escape. He takes him back to the main hideout, a still functional crime scene his sister has asked him to look ever again, and it never occurred to him that maybe that might be the first place people would come looking, if not for the killer, then for clues they may have missed about where he could be??

I completely agree. Poor writing and cheap dialogue. I get the significance of taking him there, but it was just completely moronic. I get that it was an interesting way to introduce it, but I think being a spontaneous act could have been much more explainable. If he had told police he was kidnapped and used in the rain of fire and that Travis took his son and tired to kill Harrison, Debra would have understood and then began looking into her brothers past, but this was just utter ridiculous and the only way to bring fans into season 7 to see the repercussions.

The list of weak storytelling incidents from this season are too numerous to post, but yeah the kill room in a space that is an still an active crime scene might just be the worst. We also have great ones like: randomly deciding not to enter a crime scene before Dex, even though it wasn’t particularly bloody, driving the Tooth Fairy around in your own car (you would think that the whole Trinity finding out about Dex and killing Rita would make him a little better at hiding his true identity), on that same thread, we have Dex carrying his wallet as he’s planning on ambushing Travis at the marina. The list goes on and on, but I’m hoping that this new show runner might learn from his mistakes and even though next season with ITK revisited with Louis crossing over to the dark side, doesn’t sound promising, I’ll still watch and hope.

Look, this is the season that Dexter has become more “human” than ever. He tells Deb that he loves her, he wants to pass on his love to Harrison something that he didn’t get from Harry. There are many more examples of Dex becoming more human. Now, go back and find the episode where Louis is praising Dex with Jaime and he says something like ‘Dex never makes a mistake’ (paraphasing, sorry) Remember? But wait, we see Dexter drop the ball and make mistakes! You ppl say, they are ‘plot holes!’ Nooo, its alil thing called foreshadowing with a dash of irony. Louis is an intelligent man, if he doesn’t already know who Dex is, he will b/c of Dex mistakes. Hence, setting up for the next season! C’mon ppl, it’s as if you think the writers are in high school or something. If you are so great at it, let me know when your show will be on tv.

I think your giving too much credit to the writers, sure maybe Dex’s sloppiness is foreshadowing, but I think there are so many examples of WTF, like the reporter doing a story about the hand and fountain….right in front of the fountain….and then only when it starts (thus showing the gruesome scene) does she warn the viewers of the graphic nature of the report. Travis just luckily finds two people that are really really crazy enough to kill (via video post to a blog). Again, the whole Angel and Co. not going into a crime scene till we give Dex the time to destroy the painting. Matthews thinking Deb tattled on him, though he should of realized it was LaGuerta who had the most to gain, and wasn’t above playing dirty…she did blackmail him once before. Oh and taking a freezer burned hand to use for it’s fingerprints doesn’t really work.
This is of course only a very small sampling of the uncharacteristically badly written season.
Now, holding an entire team of professional writers, directors, producers and actors to a higher standard then what I write on a comment section seems very fair to me.

This season like all the others was magnificent. And I don’t think it is incest at all! Furthermore I want to see them together. Or at least continue to flirt with the idea. incest
early 13c., “the crime of sexual intercourse between near kindred,” from L. incestum “unchastity,” also specifically “sex between close relatives,” noun use of neut. adj. incestus “unchaste, impure,” from in- “not” + castus “pure” (see caste). In early use also in ref. to

WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BATHROOM. THIS IS A DRAMA, NOT REAL LIFE.
IF IT WAS REAL LIFE, IT DOESN’T MATTER. THEY ARE NOT BLOOD RELATIVES. DEXTER’S MOTHER WAS KILLED WHEN HE WAS A BABY. DEB AND DEX NEVER BONDED UNTIL AFTER THEY STARTED AT THE STATION.

Yes its drama and not real life but we have some semblance of reality to watch. Or why not just have him fly to the crime scenes on hidden wings? Or have little Harrison start killing people? Because its stupid. We need something real in the plots to make it watchable.

No, if it was real life it would still matter. Blood or no blood, they’re siblings. Whether or not their DNA matches is not relevant to whether or not they are brother and sister.
One of my sisters was adopted by my family when she was not quite 2 years old. She is, in ALL ways that legitimately matter, 100% our sister. Period. Fact. If my brother were to get together with her romantically, it would be just as gross and wrong as if he were to get together with our biological sister.
Family is family, siblings are siblings, and blood really only matters when it comes to medical history or blood transfusions. Yes, Deb and Dex getting together would still be incest. And in real life, if two adopted siblings got together, it would still be incest.

No, Re-watch the show…Deb and Dex did not have a normal childhood (she was isolated from Dex and Harry) and it’s clear that she didn’t really accept Dexter as her brother when they were kids…She even yells “YOU ARE NOT MY BROTHER!” at one point.

I agree completely. I loved this season of Dexter, as I have all of them. This “love” attraction Deb has for Dexter is just wrong. I think Deb’s psychiatrist had a lot to do with Deb thinking she is in love with Dexter. Deb is in a very vulnerable position; her loss of Quinn, her new position, which Angel really deserves, Laguerta’s interference, not to mention the police chief trying to hide his connection to the dead prostitute, her knowledge of Dexter’s trip to Kansas, in complete defiance of her authority and the list goes on. I guess we’ll learn more about the lab tech assistance and his connection to the hand he had delivered to Dexter, next year. I cannot see where there has been a story line leading up to a romantic involvement between Deb and Dexter. Surely, the writers will not ruin the show by putting those two together. I have read all of the “Dexter” books, and she learns of his dark passenger in ,I think in the 3rd or 4th book, but she just becomes distrustful of him and makes snide remarks to him about his serial activity.

And, is everyone forgetting that it takes 2 people to have a relationship? I’ve like guys and they haven’t kissed me. Debra might think she loves Dexter, but Dexter certainly doesn’t. All his internal monologues only discuss that he thinks of her as a sister and wishes he could care about her more (As a sister) etc, never once gone beyond that.

And, even if Dexter did feel that way about her (which there is no evidence of, though there is evidence of Debra being obsessed with her brother and over protective of him and always wanting to find out his secrets), he spends his life actively doing things to blend in and fly “below the radar”, he would not have a relationship with his sister as that would be like walking around with flashing lights on his head saying i am super weird and crazy.

Exactly B., the character of Louis was a B-story this season that may develop as a major plot storyline next season. Ppl these are not loose-ends or plot holes. Please be patient and enjoy how all this will develop.

I think Louis somehow already knows of Dex’s “hobby” and looks up to him so much, not because he’s so good at his job, but because he’s such an adroit killer. The fact that he’s gone on killing for years without really getting caught by anyone of significance (until now). I think it’s almost like when a stalker believes he’s in love with his target – the way Louis feels about Dex. That’s why he was crushed so badly when Dexter didn’t like his game. And what was it that he said to Dex in front of the elevator? He wants to actually get out and live life/make a difference (I forget exactly what he says). I think this means he’s going to start killing for himself . . .

If I haven’t read all those angry comments I would never guessed there was an ick factor. They are not relatives by blood and even if they were , it’s just a show – the freakier the better! This season was a little boring in the middle up, but the FINALE scene – finally!

It doesn’t matter if they’re not relatives by blood, it’s still incest. They’re still brother and sister and have been raised as brother and sister nearly all their lives. They are still siblings. They might not share blood, but that does not make them any less brother and sister. So yes, it is still incest.

It’s significantly different. When you’re raised since babyhood as brother and sister, you are brother and sister. REAL brother and sister, that does not need to mean biological. Anyone who actually has an adoptive sibling or child knows this without doubt or question. My sister is adopted, and if she and my brother started dating, it would certainly be A LOT different from either of them dating some next door neighbor we grew up with. Much, much different. They’re brother and sister. No blood, but same parents, same siblings, same childhood history, same grandparents, same family overall, as they ARE in FACT siblings.

I still don’t think it’s that big a deal that it’s being written into the show, because it’s just fiction, and the romantic aspects of the show are not why I watch it in the first place. But yes, brother and sister, regardless of blood link, being in a romantic relationship is technically incest, the definition of which does not include “blood” or “genetics” anywhere.

the show runner gave an interview a couple of weeks ago and spilled the beans that there was going to be a new twist that would be a continuing storyline for the final 2 seasons which i believe has to do with the lab intern

The current show runner is a moron. Whoever said that he was in severe denial is spot on. He could not come up with a good answer for any of the questions. This season was sloppiest it’s ever been and yes, icky.

They aren’t blood related. In S1, Dex was informed his father passed away and left him his house. Dex went to clean it out, and eventually went to the morgue where his dead father was, took a sample and sent to it Masuka along with a sample of his own DNA and he asked Masuka to see if they could be related. It came back positive.

That’s what I thought and pinned it down to Season 4, Ep. 12, when Deb digs into Harry’s records and files while she was made to cool her heels and was stuck at the station. I’d swear that it was revealed that Harry was “involved” with the informant, making Harry and ‘Informant’ Dexter’s bio-parents.

Meh, I can definitely jump onto Dex/Deb if they write it well & believably (like they have so far, I really see where Debs realization comes from even if it was rather quick)
Deb knowing about this kill adds some real drama, angst & risk that the show has been missing for me this season, it really felt like Dexter was always one step ahead of Travis/the department and I didn’t have the usual heart stopping, will it work out/who will get hurt/he get caught suspense that makes so much of a good Dexter season.

Those who support the potential relationship between Dexter and Debra, let me ask you a question: If you had a sibling that was adopted well over 30 years ago and you developed feelings for them, would you pursue it or seek help? If you would pursue such a disgustingly atrocious relationship, please call RAINN on this number 1.800.656.HOPE. God bless.

To those who keep making these sort of comments, let me ask you a question: Why does the fact that something is wrong mean a tv show can’t write about it? Life is messy, people do things that are wrong, what is so wrong with writing about it?

Because it’s not a soap opera or some TV movie of the week. It is a TV series that used to be known for it’s brilliant writing and dialogue. Incest, whether it be between biological or adoptive siblings, is still incest and frowned upon for a reason – IT’S INCEST! I will grant you that no sexual relationship or other physical contact (aside from hugs) between the two have gone on, but the fact that Debra admitted to being in love with him is just a mistake of massive proportion and completely repulsive.

You can have brilliant writing and dialogue while dealing with those kinds of issues. It is a show about a serial killer, is not murder completely repulsive? I would say murder is a lot more repulsive than incest, yet (as it sounds like you would agree) it has been a great tv show for 6 seasons while featuring ritualistic murder as a central ideal. Why draw the line here?

That kind of hierarchisation of what’s wrong and what’s worse is what I have a problem with. If I follow your way of thinking, if I harm someone but I don’t kill them it’s less repulsive, therefore more acceptable right? Does it mean it’s ok or not disturbing?

If this season is brilliant writing, then anything can be considered as pure art. You just need to throw a little taboo in the mix and you’re suddenly seen as a genius.

I agree with you 100% Brendan. It’s fiction, and life is sometimes messy. This is A PART OF LIFE, and I’m excited that the show “went there”. I just hope they don’t mess it up. And why can’t people see how Deb and Dexter do kind of fit? It’s weird, but it’s true. People might need to re-watch the seasons during the hiatus, and they might change their minds…

Who knows it is a possibility to develop feelings in such a scenario. Just because you have not experienced it or can fathom it does not make it any less likely or correct. The very fact that it is a possibility makes it realistic. This is a show just because you find it gross does not make it impossible or wrong.

FOR PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT DEXTER AND DEBRA ARE HALF-SIBLINGS, YOU NEED TO WATCH DEXTER SEASON 1, EPISODE 9, ENTITLED “Father Knows Best”. IT WILL TELL YOU THAT A MAN NAMED JOE DRISCOLL IS HIS FATHER! DEXTER EVEN TOOK A BLOOD TEST TO PROVE IT AND IT WAS A MATCH!

It was never confirmed, but it was most certainly implied that Harry Morgan (Dexter’s adoptive father) and Laura Moser (Dexter’s birth mum) were having an affair. HOWEVER, this was around the time that Dexter was 3 and Brian was 5. It is unknown how long Laura was Harry’s CI, but he was certainly not the father of Dexter or Brian.

I love how people are flying off the handle about adoptive siblings dating in a show about a serial killer. Dozens of murders, not a peep, but a character is honest about their feelings, even though they’re wrong and OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODICAN’TWATCHTHIS. Fascinating. And let’s emphasize, she was going to tell Dexter how she felt, that doesn’t necessarily mean she was going to suggest they be together, it means they were going to deal with it together, however that ended.

I agree. Anyone that is so against this has obviously never dealt with confusing emotions before. I’m not saying I’ve fallen in love with my sister, but it DOES make sense in this show. I think it’s a very interesting turning point for the show, personally.

It wasn’t written as confusing emotions. That’s what made it so bizarre. Neither Deb nor her shrink seemed to think being in love with your brother was any more confusing or complicated than being in love with a friend. There wasn’t anything to discuss beyond Deb telling Dexter to see if he was up for it. If the serial killer plotline was handled the way this was Dexter would have been a mild-mannered lab guy who went to a shrink in season 6 to talk about frustrations at work, got told he obviously really wanted to kill people, so went out and murdered someone and then dragged the body into work to share it with everyone.

Agree Travis. See some of my comments above. The psyche is a powerful thing, and not all emotions are always black and white. I think this story line is very fascinating to me and leads this show in an interesting direction. I’m glad to find some people on this forum who agree too.

My issue with Deb being in love with Dexter isn’t the ick factor it’s the fact that it is just plain lazy storytelling. Where do you go when a show has been on for so many years? Have your male and female leads fall in love! It was sloppy and forced.

People really need to cool down with the incest.
They are NOT blood related, watch season 1 again, so it’s not incest!
Yes, there is a certain ick factor, but common people with all your moral high grounds.
You’re watching a show about a serial killer slicing and dicing people up.
No one has trouble with that, but a relationship between an adopted brother/sister and everybody is up in arms.
If you don’t like it, don’t watch, it’s as easy as that.

There was nothing incestuous about this show or anything that suggested incest. Look up incest in the dictionary next time before you try to use it.

Btw, Some of the best and most inspiring dramas of all time included incestuous themes. Any cultured person who understands and appreciates and has good taste in drama would never say “ick i’m not gonna watch” after watching the last episodes.

Any “cultured” person would know how to utilize commas instead of using and twice in one sentence. Any “cultured” person would not use “btw” in their argument about being cultured. So if I can’t use the word ick, shall I say I am disgusted. Does that insult your so-called cultured self that I do not find by Dexter’s “incestuous theme” inspiring? Pretentious anyone?

Nope. If you look up incest in the dictionary, you will find that it states that incest is between two closely related people. It does NOT say it must be between two closely BLOOD-related people. Genetics aren’t what makes incest incest. Family relationships are what make incest incest. Deb and Dexter are NO less siblings than Angel and Jamie. They are still 100% brother and sister, regardless of genetics. Doesn’t matter. They’re still siblings. One of my sisters is adopted and she is no less my sister than my other siblings who are biologically related to me. It makes no difference, because there IS no difference, at least not in any way that legitimately matters.
So yes, it is incest, and yes, it would be a relationship between two complete siblings.
That being said, I’m not going to get upset and stop watching the show if they throw that into the storyline. It’s fiction, plus I really doubt they’re going to end the show with Deb and Dexter together. And if I’m wrong, then oh well. I may not love the show ending that way, but Dexter is still an awesome show. The love-life storylines are not nearly as fun to watch as the killer storylines. Yes, factually speaking, Deb and Dexter being romantically together would be incest and would be a romantic relationship between siblings. But honestly, it’s a tv show. Do any of us really watch it for the romantic pairings, anyway? I’m pretty sure most of us love the show for the main plots, the killers.

Oh hush. I’m getting so tired of people attacking this idea. I’m not saying it’s not disturbing at all, I’m saying it definitely makes sense, and this show is all about pushing boundaries. Deb dated Lundy for christs sake! Did everyone forget that? This has never been a show that makes you feel all warm and cuddly inside. It’s a show thats made to disturb and explore the lines between right and wrong. Is it right to murder people you think are bad? Is it right to hide secrets from everyone you know and love? Of course not! Is it right that deb has feelings for dexter? Of course not! But it has to be explored. If they completely shut it down I, personally, will feel gypped.

true. and can we not forget that deb already dated dexter’s brother too. i think we passed the ice factor a while ago. but if you love the show, you know that it is not the show for warm and fuzzy moments or happy romances. it’s twisted and fascinating to watch the ways that these characters cope, how they try to find some berometer of normalcy in their insane lives. and that what makes it great – not the reality, but the humanity and the fallout. can’t wait to see where this takes season 7!

Exactly to this comment werdup! Everyone seems to ignore the fact that she dated, and got engaged to the one person in the world most like Dexter!!! How is that not “gross”. I don’t get the double standard here. If anything, this story line makes perfect sense to me. That’s the kind of person she’s attracted to, whether she realizes it or not. Difference is, she’s lived a life with Dexter, and knows his good side and that will make all this more complicated for her now that she saw what she saw. This is all very interesting and I can’t wait to see how it pans out.

I think for next season they will acknowledge that Deb saw Dexter commit “the kill.” He’ll use the Icetruck killer as an excuse for his knowlege of killing and rage at his son being kidnapped by the monster. He snapped! I think it was funny and sad that Deb told that weird psychiatrist that she was always drawn to men different from Dexter when she was drawn to men just like Dexter. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have enough in his emotional bank for her. I also “icked out” by the lovey dovey Deb. I thought when La Guarda (sp) told her to control herself, she was going to buck up and focus on her job. I will be interested to see where they go with that hand sent to Dexter by that intern.

So…..no one is turned off by the concept of a man that ritualistically murders people out of a psychological necessity? But if he hooks up with his adopted sister that would b too much….? Reevaluate people!

I am not too much of a fan of the Deb-Dex story but I have one thing to offer. I think Deb had to get to that place with Dex before she found out his secret. I think if she hadn’t got there first, the results of her finding out would be much less complicated. If she did not have some sort of feelings for him, then she would easily turn him in or take care of him when she found out. Now that she has some feelings for him, it will make the dynamic of her knowing much different. Kudos to the writers on Season 6. I enjoyed and will still continue to watch.

Deb is a messed up character in a lot of ways. I started with season 5 and liked the show, so I just recently started from the beginning. I’m on the 1st ep. of the 3rd season and I can actually tell Deb has been always wanting something more with Dexter, even if not in an obvious way. Come on, she has never dated someone actually nice and she is the one ending things ore inventing reasons to leave the relationship.

Actually she did date someone nice and it’s bugging me that no one remembers him. She was with the informant a few seasons ago that really liked her, treated her well, etc. and she cheated on him with Lundy.
In fact, she hasn’t dated anyone all that bad besides the Ice Truck Killer. Otherwise, Lundy, the informant, Quinn (obviously not any longer) were all good for her and SHE was the one who always messed them up.

Honestly, I almost snooze during it….but the last minutes finally was what I wanted since last year..but now, a long wait until ssn7 rtrn and hopefully they will have time to reconstruct & come up with something more thrilling/scarier…As for Deb, well I hope the they lost the “I love you” storyline…too awkward + Boring…
Obviously, she had to (try) understand & protect his secret even it became too painful to bare…..

You know, I think all these people that are up in arms are saying that murder is okay. If suggesting incest is this abominable, but the ritualistic killings don’t merit mention… cool. And I can tell from the way they talk that they hold some moral high ground, so I think we’ve just been given permission to murder people! Excuse me, I have to go buy some knives, plastic wrap and a pair black leather gloves.

I understand your point, and to an extent, I agree. However, to me, the “brotherly love” story line is gratuitous! To me, it didn’t feel organic at all. Like so many things over the past 2 seasons it seemed like some half cocked idea that was thrown in with little thought and planning. The show itself is based on a serial killer, but by watching it, I highly doubt that people, in their real lives, would condone it or participate in it. Yes, I think incest is taboo and not entertaining at all, but if done properly, I would be able to recognize the artistic value in it. I have had a very difficult time recognizing any artistic value in this show for the past 2 seasons!

Huh, Mr./Ms. Professor, I believe you and like many others, forget about alil something called foreshadowing. Please go back and review this season(and even S1-5) and it will all make sense. Thank you and class dismissed.

I AGREE the definition of incest goes beyond blood…however, this IS a show not real life (or so we hope). I say let the writers do their job and let’s wait to see what will happen ! LOTS going on now, many changes to come I’m sure.

It’s still incest, that has nothing to do with blood. So no, not “done!” It’s still incest.
But that being said, I don’t think it’s any reason for people to threaten to boycott the show. It’s not even the main storyline. The central storylines are about the killers in each season, not the romantic pairings. I don’t really like Deb and Dexter together and I know that it is, in FACT, incest, but oh well. The side storylines are not why I watch the show, so it really isn’t going to deter me.
I think Louis, the intern, has pieced together what Dexter is, and has some secret admiration for him. I think Louis is going to be the central part of next season, and I think he may start off by copy-catting Dexter, and then ultimately trying to work with him and be his kill partner. But I don’t think Dexter is going to accept that and I think Louis will mess up. I actually think it’s very possible that when Louis inevitably dies, it’s not going to be Dexter who kills him. I think there is a chance that we’ll see Louis take on the whole vigilante justice thing next season and only kill the bad guys. If that does turn out to be the case, I don’t think that Dexter is going to kill him. ….I still think he’ll die by the end of the season, though.

Oooh, that’s good.
Louis goes vigilante, Dexter copy cat style.
He has access to what, and who, Dex is researching online.
So he could beat Dexter to the punch a few times, with his potential victims.
Why the hand? Has he already worked out who Dex is? Or that the ITC was his brother?
I wonder what the fortune line drawings on the hand were?
Could it all be for game research?

UGH!! Reading this has solidified my opinion that this show is spiraling downward. Scott Burk’s answers to these questions seem to involve little thought, and adolescent-like avoidance. “I wasn’t aware of any ick factor”?!?! Really?!?! Then clearly he has no familial concepts at all!! In watching the show, I have always attributed Debra’s unstable love life to her distant father who always seemed to favor her brother, which I think the original team had intended. To leave something like that on the wayside and replace it with incest (blood relation or not) is classless and unintelligent. The last 2 seasons of Dexter have been sub par, and after reading this interview, I can see exactly why!

“I have always attributed Debra’s unstable love life to her distant father who always seemed to favor her brother, which I think the original team had intended. ”

That’s true and it makes sense. I think Deb already explored this. But it’s not about what makes sense to the viewer. It’s about how the character rationalises the situation (with help from her shrink). It’s not unrealistic for someone to be convinced they hold romantic feeling for a sibling. It’s bold for a tv show to take the story in that direction (if they do – it’s only really been hinted at up until now)

No therapist would ever point a patient in the direction of Incest. That alone isn’t believable. I personally don’t see how it’s even possible to convince someone that they have feelings for another person. Of course, none of that really matters, because it is, in fact, a TV show. My problem with it is the gratuitousness of it all. It was not a natural progression in the story. Hell, Scott Buck specifically says in this interview that there was no reason in telling it now other than he felt like it. To me, that’s amateur storytelling at best. I think a show like Dexter deserves better story telling. The current writing staff is not doing it any justice!

Her therapist didn’t explicitly point her toward incest, she pointed her toward dealing with her feelings, which is exactly what therapists do. After Deb finally admits it, her therapist’s next step very well could be ‘how do you get over it,’ that is something that hasn’t played out yet. The therapist never encouraged Deb to be with Dexter if you watch carefully.

But the therapist was the person who introduced the entire idea of Deb wanting Dexter. Deb walked out angrily, then she returned and announced she’d “told him” how she felt meaning she said she loved him. In the scene where it’s first introduced the therapist pushes the idea when Deb’s saying no. Deb didn’t discover this herself.

I think this season was a sloppy mess from the start……..I liked the first few episodes,and the let 5 were pretty awesome…….but it was sloppy,not enough kills,or kill rooms……Louis is next seasons villian perhaps? He’s so wackkkkkkk…………..love the show but I understand that some seasons have to be worse than others……the ck factor is pathetic,I guess the writers are from Alabama and marry there siblings…….lol….like how deb found out though,can’t wait to see how that plays out….

They aren’t biologically related. They have a different mother AND father. it’s not incest. If it happens, it would be two people who grew up together having a romantic relationship. This happens all the time. People marry their childhood sweethearts all the time.

No, incest is not only about blood-related people. A brother and sister hooking up in a romantic way is incest, whether they have the same *biological* parents or not. They’re still brother and sister, and it is, in pure fact, still incest. They have different biological parents, but they have the same REAL parents, the parents who raised them. (Real and biological are not synonymous.) And they were raised as brother and sister nearly their entire lives, so yes, they are completely brother and sister, and no, their lack of shared DNA does not make them any less siblings, or the idea of them together any less incestuous.
With that said, it’s no reason to threaten to boycott the show, as I’ve seen people doing in a number of threads online. First, it’s just a television show, and isn’t the reason we all watch it because of the killer storylines? The romantic relationship element of the show isn’t a big deal to me. It’s just a sideline issue. I wish they weren’t trying to pair up Deb and Dexter, since it is incest and that weirds me out, but I’m also not going to lose any sleep over it.

For all those people that ask why we’re more accepting of all the murders on the show, but find the idea of adoptive siblings falling in love repulsive, I will tell why….we’re American’s we’ve been desensitized to violence, while sex is still more taboo then let’s say Europe.
I’ve been all over Europe and there has been many times that as I’m channel surfing in my hotel room, I come across tv shows or movies that show a woman’s boobs (no, it wasn’t the porn channels, it was regular channels). Now, I’ve also been to the Middle East, and I was in my hotel room in Iraq, watching the news as they’re showing the remains of a suicide bomber (it was his detached face and a hand and legs) and the gruesome scene of his attack, but later as I was watching the Firefly marathon, they would completely edit up the episodes, especially the lesbian one.

Of the two regions, America is more like the Middle East, we can show people being blown up on prime time shows like Grey’s Anatomy, but sex still has a stigma and when we get close to pushing the envelop we’re going to have issues. I think this whole Deb/Dex thing doesn’t ring true for these characters (even thought the book apparently goes there), though full disclosure, I also get the ick feeling when I think of it.

I disagree. People are more disturbed by the incest because of the way it was handled. There are other shows on TV that have had and have incest in them. Americans not only enjoy the shows but sometimes even like the couple–Game of Thrones, for instance. But what’s the point of writing an incest story if you don’t even write it as incest because you don’t get the ick factor?

The only real problem I had with this season was Colin Hanks as the “big bad”….I had gotten rather used to him in “The Good Guys” opposite Bradley Whitford, and had a hard time not seeing him as the naive, straight-laced cop from that series, LOL.

So i just want to say that this season is possibly the best season so far. But to all you people who are complaining about the dex deb thing, who cares. it just makes the relationship between deb and dex more complex. A huge thing this season was seeing there relationship flourish and the 2 of them becoming a lot closer and open with each other. Also, you say its icky, but is there really anything wrong with that?? really.. its like falling in love with your best friend… on steroids.. but really 99% of you have never been in the situation that they are in, whos to say that you wouldn’t fall in love

These two characters have been shown as brother and sister since the show premiered. Which means, the viewers were made to accept them as brother and sister. Creatively this is incest and asking the audience to suspend belief that they are suddenly not brother and sister is insulting to the viewers.

Your going to find people in the mental health world as pretty evenly split on whether this would be considered an inappropriate, bordering on incest relationship and most of them will further consider that this most be taken on a case by case bases.
It boils down to what is a sibling, on a biological level that’s easy to determine, but on a mental and an emotional level that is what gets complicated. For example is the reason we don’t sleep with our sibling only because they’re genetically related or is also because when we are raised and bonded with someone that they are categorized as closely related and thus an unfavorable sexual partner.
Now in Deb’s case, while I think the character has always viewed Dex as her true brother, I guess I can see the writer’s going a couple of different ways. One, this a Freudian attempt at getting love and acceptance from her father. Dex spend a lot of time with Harry, they both have similar mannerisms when it comes to interacting with Deb, ie being cool and distant and emotional unavailable to her growing up and now in her adult life. Or Deb and Dex really didn’t spend that much quality time together, thus never truly bonding as brother/sister, and even though Deb has attempted to affix the title Brother to Dex, she never felt it rang true, thus allowing her to view Dex as a potential sexual partner.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. I study psychology and this whole story line is very interesting to me. And I can definitely see, given her growing up with Harry and Dexter how she, (unconsciously) doesn’t see Dexter as a whole brother to her, but rather someone she really admires. This makes the whole thing less ridiculous in her mind. I’m curious to see where this goes honestly.

It’s incest because incest is a romantic relationship between two family members. That is NOT limited solely to two blood-related family members. Deb and Dexter are 100% brother and sister, just as Angel and Jamie, who ARE blood related, are 100% brother and sister. They’re adopted siblings, that makes them no less siblings than if they shared blood. The definition of incest is not limited to people who share genetics. Incest is when family members hook up, regardless of whether they’re blood related or not.

Honestly, it’s not even about the “incest” between Deb and Dexter that bothers me. It’s just that it’s lazy writing. “Well, we haven’t explored this yet between a male and female on the show, so let’s just throw it in there.” No, there is SO many other things they could do. Deb and Dexter have always had an amazing brother/sister/friend bond, why do the writers have to make it sexual – just because they are the stars of the show and it’s a male and female?
It’s just irritating to me.

I’m sorry but a child raised with you by your parents since he was 2 or 3 years old is your brother regardless of bloodline. Adopted children are as much your siblings as ones that share your heritage and for the writers/producers to say they don’t see any ick factor to this storyline is VERY troubling. I love the show but this whole Deb being in love with Dexter thing is out of left field and just plain unbelievable. Hopefully now that she knows he’s a killer those feelings will disappear as quickly as they appeared!

Overall a disappointing season but I am hopefully for what will happen next season since Deb now knows at least part of his secret.

I COMPLETELY with you!….totally disgusting! The sad part is that I absolutely refuse to watch or read anything once I sense eve na hint of incest…so sadly – this may be the end of my favourite show for me. I don’t understand how writers think that watching an incestuous relation (and yes it IS incest …I don’t care if they are blood related or not) is at all entertaining.

First Time Poster – I’m a HUGE Dexter fan and I just HAVE to say that this was by far the worst season of DEXTER yet… whoever wrote and/or green-lit the”Nebraska” episode should never be allowed to write for this show again.

As fun as the final few shots of the last episode were – I truly don’t believe that they are prepared for Deb discovering Dexter’s true self… felt like a big reveal to a season that the writers were realizing would off put too many viewers and they needed a way to hook them back in.

The network brass clearly need some talented, fresh blood to come in and fix things. This guy is completely in denial

I am hoping that Dexter will be the voice of reason and shoot down Deb’s crazy feelings. Deb has always been the kind of character who just latched onto the nearest guy who showed her any interest. Dexter shows her interest because she is his sister. I feel like this will be the kind of situation that Dex can easily step out of. He’s always so cautious about how he is perceived, why would he pursue a relationship with his sister when that will add scrutiny to every move he makes? I think Dexter is smart enough to know that

I agree Ari. This is totally about Deb’s insecurities, and i think if she had more therapy/went to a better therapist, she’d be able to have a decent relationship (and i think it would be better for her if it was not someone related to her work for a change).
Dex is too smart to do something so controversial.
And for all those who say they needed this so that Deb would accept Dexter’s way of life, i think you’re wrong. Deb is all about catching the bad guy and she is totally committed to her brother (probably as a final link to her father). She would never be able to turn him into the police, she just might not be able to be so close to him anymore.